Chaser (eBook)

The amazing story of a very smart Border collie who is redefining animal intelligence.

Chaser has a way with words. She knows over a thousand of them—more than any other animal of any species except humans. In addition to common nouns like house, ball, and tree, she has memorized the names of more than one thousand toys and can retrieve any of them on command. Based on that learning, she and her owner and trainer, retired psychologist John Pilley, have moved on to further impressive feats, demonstrating her ability to understand sentences with multiple elements of grammar and to learn new behaviors by imitation.

John's ingenuity and tenacity as a researcher are as impressive as Chaser's accomplishments. His groundbreaking approach has opened the door to a new understanding of animal intelligence, one that requires us to reconsider what actually goes on in a dog's mind. Chaser's achievements reveal her use of deductive reasoning and complex problem-solving skills to address novel challenges.

Yet astonishingly, Chaser isn't unique. John's training methods can be adopted by any dog lover. Through the poignant story of how he trained Chaser, raised her as a member of the Pilley family, and proved her abilities to the scientific community, he reveals the positive impact of incorporating learning into play and more effectively channeling a dog's natural drives.

John's work with Chaser offers a fresh perspective on what's possible in the relationship between a dog and a human. His story points us toward a new way of relating to our canine companions that takes into account our evolving understanding of the way animals and humans learn.

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"e;This marvelous blend of good science and heartwarming dog story will inspire all of us to reexamine our canine friends."e; -Booklist, starred reviewThe New York Times-bestselling story of a very smart Border collie who redefined animal intelligence. A joyous explanation of behavior, learning, and perception-any pet owner, parent, teacher, or psychologist will be enriched by this book.When retired psychology professor John Pilley first got his new Border collie puppy, Chaser, he wanted to explore the boundaries of language learning and communication between humans and man's best friend. Exhibiting intelligence previously thought impossible in dogs, Chaser soon learned the names of more than a thousand toys and sentences with multiple elements of grammar.Chaser's accomplishments are revolutionizing the way we think about the intelligence of animals. John and Chaser's inspiring journey demonstrates the power of learning through play and opens our eyes to the boundless potential in the animals we love."e;The most scientifically important dog in over a century."e; -Brian Hare, founder of the Duke Canine Cognition Center and coauthor of The Genius of Dogs"e;After you read Chaser, you will realize that you may have underestimated the intelligence of your dog. Marvelous insights into a dog's mind."e; -Temple Grandin, author of Animals in Translation and Animals Make Us Human"e;Dogs and those of us who love them owe to debt of gratitude to the brilliant, courageous author and his equally heroic subject."e; -Jennifer Arnold, author of Through a Dog's Eyes"e;An engrossing and remarkable tale."e; -The Bark "e;A delightful memoir that offers a challenge to behavioral psychologists and inspiration for pet lovers."e; -Kirkus Reviews